1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
This invention relates to apparatuses for reversing and preventing warpage in the top plates of stringed musical instruments, a string pin, and methods for their use.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a need for a simple, inexpensive means for preventing warpage in the top plates of stringed musical instruments, and for reversing or correcting such warpage when it occurs. Warpage of top plates is most frequently the result of the deformative forces caused by the sustained tension in the instrument's strings. The apparatus of the present invention provides the means for creating an adjustable force opposing the deformative force of the strings. Through the adjustment of the opposing force created by the apparatus, the deformative force of the strings can be neutralized, thereby preventing or reversing undesirable warpage.
The apparatus may be built into the musical instrument at the time of the instrument's manufacture, or may later be installed by the musician or other user. The application of the invention at the time of manufacture has the purpose of preventing top plate warpage before it has opportunity to occur. A more pressing need for the invention, however, exists among present owners of instruments, owners wishing to prevent warpage in their instruments or wishing to remedy warpage that has already occurred. The preferred embodiment of the invention will find immediate application in this "aftermarket" of existing instrument owners.
Efforts have been made by others to address the problems caused by, or related to, the tension in the strings of stringed musical instruments. U.S. Pat. No. 519,416 to Turner discloses a device that must be installed within guitars at the time of the instrument's manufacture. The device described in the patent to Turner is much more complicated than the apparatus of the present invention and is mechanically distinguishable therefrom. The device described in the '416 patent to Turner attempts to isolate, rather than counteract, detrimental string tension. The apparatus requires that two large holes be placed in the top plate, which adversely impacts the acoustics of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,116,754 to Storle shows a device used exclusively within violins. The '754 patent to Storle describes an elbow-shaped lever to be fitted within the interior of violins to replace the standard violin bass bar, which base bar counteracts the inward pressure of the violin strings. The Storle invention is mechanically very dissimilar from the present invention, and evidently must be installed in the violin at the time the instrument is manufactured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,678 to Guerrero describes a device for use in stringed instruments for the purpose of counteracting the deforming forces of the string tension. The '678 patent discloses various embodiments of an apparatus which must be incorporated within the instrument at the time of its manufacture, and thus lacks the portability of the present invention. Moreover, the various Guerrero apparatuses typically require adjustment mechanisms on the exterior of the guitar, where they are subject to unintentional manipulation and where they mar the traditional appearance, and possibly sound, of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,371 to Guice describes a bridge apparatus for use in stringed instruments that can only be installed at the time of manufacture or after severe modification of an existing instrument. The apparatus described in the '371 patent is patterned somewhat after the device disclosed in the '416 patent, but with an attempt made to overcome the difficulties of the Turner device. But like the Turner apparatus, the Guice invention is bulky and non-portable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,543 to Cipriani describes a bridge apparatus which object is to improve the volume of acoustical guitars by allowing an increase in string tension without altering string length. Unlike the present invention, the Cipriani apparatus is attached nearly entirely outside the sound box of the guitar.